Okami and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Lead the Finalists of the Seventh Annual Game Developers Choice Awards

As a member of the awards board committee I personally find it frustrating that one of the front-running games has not yet been released in Europe. Then again, Nintendo's Brain Training lost out because it was relased in Japan in 2005. Full nominations after the jump.

Absolutely no surprises there, especially when viewed through the lens of the North American/European-dominated IGDA membership. But that's another post, for another day. Don't worry, it's coming.

But on a related rant, you can get a non-insider's view on the GDCA at Firing Squad who interviews the Academy of Interactive Arts and Science's President Joseph Olin. The article makes a nod to the Choice Awards about halfway down. From my reading, I think Olin implies that the Choice Awards are the Golden Globes to their AIAS Oscars.

Well, to counteract, comparing the AIAS awards with the Choice Awards is like comparing apples and oranges. Both the Globes and the Oscars are US awards, voted for by people in the American Academy of Motion Pictures. Who are citizens of the USA. The GDCAs have been nominated this year by people from Singapore, from Britain, from France, from Hong Kong, from Venezuela, from Belgium, from Canada, from the USA, and so on. From 25 countries from around the world. These are different awards, with different scopes, and I feel it's far far more important to recognise international contributions rather than those from just one region. It is, in fact, a GLOBAL industry. At least we try.